NAILED!!!!!

 And we are OFF!!  Apparently I am past the time of playing in the noonday sun.  Good grief ... 102 degrees in Quartzsite feels like 117.  The morning low of 79 didn't help at all in my attempt to dump my tanks.  You've gotta love those gauges.  I know I have at least 35 gallons of water, but it says I have less than 10.  In spite of dumping all three tanks, they all show 3/4 full.  Funny ... the gauges in my Phaeton worked perfectly!!

So here we are ... I was out of dodge by 6:15 and on the road to Wellton.  It's still there Elva, though I missed the feedlot completely.  All of a sudden, the roads went to pot.  Good grief ... they are the worst I've ever driven on between Bouse and Tonopah.  I was down to 40 mph most of the way because the big trucks were out in full force going 70 in the fast lane, which of course was as smooth as a baby's butt.  

Finally ... a chance to pull over in Gila Bend.  The kids have been shaken, not stirred, and are pretty tired after only 1/3 of the way.   It's even hotter now, and I even went so far as to turn the AC off going uphill.  

Random shadow picture.  I don't know where this came from since I didn't take it.  It just showed up on my phone!  Looks like I'm about to get nailed by a snake.  Maybe I was and didn't know it!

We cruised right along until I noticed too much shifting.  RATS!!  I forgot to hit the tow haul button.  Previously if I hit it while moving, I got a check engine light, so I hit my hazards and pulled over quickly, just long enough to stop, hit the switch and go again.  I'm going to have that tattooed on the back of my hand so I don't forget.

This is my favorite section of the highway ... the first saguaros growing up the hillside.  Did I mention it's HOT?

At long last I'm home, after navigating some really bad construction through half of Tucson.  Alas, I made the worst backup parking job I've ever done.  Oh I got it in under the cover, but too far back before I unhooked.  I'll have to hook up and move it to keep the rear camera out of the torrential monsoon rains.

Wait ... what's this?  Is that a bag of frozen peas on my shoulder?  Why yes .... yes it is.  I stowed the kids in the house with the AC on high while I hooked up the electrical cord.  I raised the cover and stuck it in, only to see three wasps come out.  I dropped it and ran, but I was chased down like a ballistic missile.

No kidding ... this blankety blank NAILED me big time!  It truly felt like someone stabbing me with a knife.  I can't even begin to tell you how bad that hurt.  I've been stung a lot in my long years, but nothing like this.  This instantly grew to 2" across and RED as can be with shooting pains.

I ran to the bathroom and took a Benadryl just to be safe.  By then I was getting pains in my head and stomach cramps.  What the heck???

Here's what these little, or rather BIG buggers look like.  I've seen them around here before since they are so big.  They run from 1" to 1-1/2" long.  

Just look at that stinger!!!  I was instantly MAD AS A HORNET!!  

I ran inside, got my trusty can of wasp spray and went to town.  I killed six before I gave up and went back inside.  Later I went to check the outlet to get it plugged in, and they had just barely started making a nest.  

I called Nurse Patty just in case I died on the spot, but the Benadryl seemed to help.  Being the wonderful people they are, they invited me over for a pizza dinner.  By the time I got home, I was a wreck.  My shoulder still hurt, so the peas came out while I watched a little rodeo.

This morning the red spot has increased to about 3 inches around and is quite swollen.   It's starting to itch like crazy of course, which means I probably won't die, even if I did feel like it yesterday.  I still have the headache and now my entire shoulder is sore, but it looks like I will live.  

That's a good thing because I have to unload the rig today.  Most of that stuff cannot stay in the heat.  But before I do ANYTHING, I'm going on a great white hunter trip around the entire house with my trusty can of wasp spray.